MARIGNY -- With the race for the vacant NOLA-wide seat on the City Council down to two candidates, it's time for political heavyweights to answer the age-old refrain: "Which side are you on?" For Mayor Mitch, that answer seemed to be borne in a past campaign of his own. At the New Orleans Healing Center's Cafe Istanbul, Landrieu stepped up to endorse former state senator Cynthia Willard-Lewis - a political ally who worked for him in 2006 - at an afternoon press conference celebrating the candidate, the Lord and the City.

We're less than two weeks away from the runoff in the at-large City Council race, and the battle of endorsements is heating up. Da Landrieus (except Gary) have yet to come down for either candidate, but the man who is arguably New Orleans' third highest office holder - Congressman Cedric Richmond - weighed in on the race by endorsing Cynthia Willard-Lewis. In a press release, Richmond said initially intended to remain neutral in the race between Willard-Lewis and current Councilwoman Stacy Head, but decided "that the election of Cynthia Willard Lewis offers the best hope for the future of this city."